1968 383 Rebuild

[69a100]

The only advice I can give you Jim, is don't do biz with CA. Street Machines if they're still in biz. They really boinked my brother big time.
There's a place in Carmichael called Performance Engines, they work on everything. Their Facebook page. Good Luck
https://www.facebook.com/Performance-Engines-135374686502756/

 

[BSB67]

I am not sure if I offended someone or not but I want a good quality rebuild and will check all tolerances and specs.

This car has been in the family except the first years of its life and I know that it has never had a rebuild. They only reason I pulled the engine as the freeze plugs were leaking and had a bad front main trans leak. I bought a rebuilt engine with 6000 miles from a buddy that wrecked his truck so he had not use for it and then bought a rebuilt trans so the numbers matching things would be safe as I had fun with car so as not to worry about hurting these if I had to much fun. I may just find room and store these properly but I just can't decide.

Okay.

More Questions:
1) What are you envisioning in your "decent rebuild"? Boring, new pistons and balance, correct?
2) What is "stock" but updated internals for better performance mean to you? You can build a stock looking motor and make 500+ hp, or build a stock motor with a better cam and make 15 hp over stock i.e. about 300 hp.
3) What is your budget?

There are no stock replacement hp 383 pistons. The 906 will need a lot of $$ to make good, and you will still have a poor open chamber head with no quench. Probably best hp bang for the buck would be a near zero deck piston, and a closed chamber after market head like 440 Source that looks stock, and get the chamber down to 78 ccs or so.

 

[wyrmrider]

Those 383 blocks are much tougher than SBC so he might get away with hone and new rings
If he has to buy custom pistons it's actually easier with a stroker and 440 rods you can put a quench dome profile on the pistons and dial in any compression you want with the dish on the plug side- the pistons are the biggest part of boring so scrounge up a 413-440 crank and go for it- the extra 40 cubes are easy torque and horsepowr
The 906 (902) can be multi angle valve job and hand blend or ported with the templets and get most of what can be had without a big $$$ port job
guides, Durabond ex seats 1.74 or 1.81 exhausts 2.14 intakes all proven combos
If your cam is in the half inch or less lift range you can take a larger intake valve and cut it down for 30 degree seats (placed where the top cut is now) and actually flow quite well- more curtain area at the lower lifts keeps the valve high on the seat

 

[milit73]

This will be a boring build for most. It is looking to be more of a stock rebuild as I do not want to change the engine much due to it being numbers matching. Not that I am ever going sell the car and my son wants it already it wil be in the family long after I am gone should i just leave it out of the car and enjoy what is in it. Just had my appendix removed and high as a kite so no more typing.

 

[69a100]

Not that I am ever going sell the car and my son wants it already.

But wait, he's already got the poon..... I mean mustang.

 

[milit73]

But wait, he's already got the poon..... I mean mustang.

Yep this one that we are just about finished with!!!!!!!

 

[69a100]

Tit's lookin ride!

 

[gdrill]

i just leave it out of the car and enjoy what is in it.

Bingo......

 

[BSB67]

Bingo......

Agreed. A low dollar rebuild will likely not be much better, if at all, than what's in it now.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I would leave the matching stuff safe and dry! I don't know how much power you want to make but you can build a screaming small block with aluminum heads that flow and shift it at 7500 rpm,or build a peppy one with the engine that's in there now.Do the build inside your budget and have fun.The original stuff,,,unopened is still original and can be sold with the car someday after your gone.
What do I know,,,,i'm a HP addict

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I think he was thinking that I was offended. No i just wondered how someone could disagree with having the block looked at and make sure its in good shape and know what you are looking at on the build.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I think he was thinking that I was offended. No i just wondered how someone could disagree with having the block looked at and make sure its in good shape and know what you are looking at on the build.

And check where the cam was installed and thickness of the head gasket.You are absolutely right about inspecting and measuring EVERYthing before you buy ANYthing!

 

[69a100]

And check where the cam was installed and thickness of the head gasket.

What head gasket? Don't ya know that stock engines didn't have head or exhaust gaskets? Guess not by your comment?

 

[wyrmrider]

Say What 69 should have a steel shim

 

[BeepBeepRR]

What head gasket? Don't ya know that stock engines didn't have head or exhaust gaskets? Guess not by your comment?

My neighbor bought a 383 which included the engine stand. I went to help him unload it from his truck and noticed it had no head gaskets in it. So we pull the pan off and guess what. It only had 4 pistons and rods.. LMAO He was pissed.

 

[65-440]

What head gasket? Don't ya know that stock engines didn't have head or exhaust gaskets? Guess not by your comment?

what ?

 

[red 69 runner]

I am in the same boat with my original 383 in my 69,it has 125.000 miles on it and is starting to show signs of needing a rebuild.I started with a set of 906 heads getting redone and was just going to swap heads but now i have aquired a 71 383 short block that was re done about 20 years ago and has been sitting.so I have decided to have that motor built and when it is done put my running numbers matching motor to the side and run the non numbers matching motor.Remember if you start re building and modifing the original motor and something goes wrong then its gone.I told my wife after I am dead and she sells everything the original motor will be in the shed.

 

[wyrmrider]

no head gaskets and missing pistons
lmfao

good plan on the rebuild
pull the plugs and run some marvel mystery oil or other oily solvent through it
then do a compression check and see where you are at
if good change the oil and fire it up, spin the oil pump with a hex first
or check the upper timing gear first- old nylon and ll that could be in the pan
cut the oil filter open and see if anything serious is on the outside of the pleets
if you are going to have it built without firing it up measure deck height on all 4 corners B 4 pulling the pistons, check the thrust as well as the bearings, cc the heads
post an update

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

What head gasket? Don't ya know that stock engines didn't have head or exhaust gaskets? Guess not by your comment?

Your right,I never heard of an internal combustion engine not having a head gasket

 

[69a100]

I've takin apart a couple of un-raped 383's and I haven't seen a head gasket on the tree of them, OKAY! Just take it for what it's worth from my experience. I'm not tryin to play a Pinocchio here, just tellin what I've experienced & seen, OK? DBAD!